lundberg



April 16, 1935. c. E. LUNDBERG 1,997,940

- AMUSEMENT DEVICE Filgd July 5, 1934 2 shets-Sheet 1 April 16, 1935. c.E. LUNDBERG 997y940 AMUSEMENT DEVICE Filed` July 5, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet2 Patented Apr. 16, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENTQOFFICE 1,997,940 fAMUsEMENT DEvIoE Y oar1 `Edward Lundberg, Warden, N. Y.` ApplicationJuly 5, 1934, serial No. 733,921

w ioclaims.- f (c1. 2721-43) I-t is an object of this invention toproduce a mechanism which will propel vehicles, carriages,

cars or chariots, over a stationary platform ory track, in an undulatorypath whereby the occupants ofYsaid cars will be amused, entertained` andthrilled as they pass speedily along the plat'- form in the carsdescribing the undulatory path across the platform. f Y

It is an object of this invention to providev a mechanism comprising asubstructure of a stationary platform and a rotary central turntableincluding particular cooperating centering means located on saidplatform and turntable. Y

It is an object of this inventionto provide a particular guide meanshaving swiveled connection with the rotary turntable for the individualbars which propel and control the movement of the cars. l

It is an object of this invention to provide a particular connectionbetween the bars and cars including particularly relatedcooperatingbuffers.

It is also an object of this invention to provide a substructurecomprising a stationary gear having a removable section whereby thecranks carried by thesmaller gears may be readily adjusted to a suitablesequence which may be variableand selective.

1t is also an object of this invention to provide suitable and speciallysupported bearing; construction for the small gears or pinions includingtheir cranks as well as the centering means carried by the turntable. YIt is a further object ofthis invention to provide a mutilatedstationaryy gear whereby the path of travel 'of the cars may be modifiedas well as produce the sensation or" something accidentally orerroneously released and running wild for a short interval of time whichmay be measured in seconds and/ or fractions thereof.

It is a stillV further object of this invention to produce a balanceddriving means for the rotary turntable. l

Fig. 1 is a schematic plan of the majorrportion of my invention.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section `of the free end of the hollow bar withsprings `or buffers andattaching means secured thereto.

Fig. 3 is a vertical section through the center of the invention showingthe rotary turntable, stationaryV platform, and the gearing mechanism.'Figl is an elevation of vthe swiveled guide for one of the tubularbars. Y f n y Fig. 5 is an Velevation of the swiveled guide showing thedetachable side of the guide in initial position of assemblingrepresented by dotted lines. Y Y Y Fig. 6 is a-modication in elevationof the stationary gearshowing amutilated gear, and

Fig v'7V is' a modified drive' gear providing for the application ofbalanced forces to the gear carried by the rotary turntable. Y

Thefstationarygear l isl secured to the stationary platform gbyboltspassing through the ears Ib. The gear I has a main section andadetachable section la to permit adjustment lof the pinions 3 and cranks4. The drive gear 9 is secured to the turntable 2 by-boltspassingthrough the-ears 9b and at least a portion of the turntable. Thepinions, 3-are provided with cranks i and bearings of Abronze l1 locatedin the turntable 2 and the brackets lla respectively for supporting thespindles iaofthe pinions 3. The inner lower portion of gear l isprovided with a smooth inner surface to forma guide and centering meansfor the rotary turntable 2. The guide and centering rollers 3f may beintegral with the pinions 3 or they may be made as separate elements.The pinions 3 and the rollers 31' are mounted in superposedy relationrespectively on their spindles ta. The swiveled guides 8 are mounted onthe edge portion of the turntable 2 and they support and guide the bars1 which extend through the guides $3;V The bars 'l are pivoted to thecranksV ll through the medium of Vwrist-pins 5. The rfree endof the bars1 are provided with pivot bearings 1a and spring-bumpers 1b. rThebearings 1c are supported in substantially U-shaped strap irons 'imsecured in the free ends of the tubular bars 'i as indicated in Fig. 2wherein both the springs lb, the strap iron 1.a, and the insertedportions thereof "id are secured-in position by aplurality of rivets orbolts' 1e. The chariots or cars 2% are provided with suitable castorswhich roll over .the stationary platform 6. The cars are also providedwith cornerbuffers secured toYtheir front 'corners which are adapted tosilently engage the spring buffers 1b on the bars l. The corner buffersare made of any suitable resilient means or material. Said cars arepivotally connected by a pivot bolt passingk thru an` arm 2i and thebearing 1c. A pair of apertured ears on the arms 2l are adaptedtoreceive the pivot bolt. The cars are made partly in imitation of a smallautomobile body including anY imitation radiator, hood and cowLYandtheyeach have a hand rail adjacent theZ cowl in convenient position forgraspling by the occupants of the car. The seats of the cars aresuitably cushioned 4as indicated.

vThe turntable 2 is supported on aplurality of rollers I 9, mounted inbrackets I9a. The trackway for the rollers I9 is xedly secured tovertical supports of the stationary platform while the stationary gear Iis fixedly secured to said trackway.

The brackets I8 are secured to the outer circomferential surface of thedrive gear 9 and form bearing supports for the lower ends of the shafts4a.

The drive shaft 22 is mounted in bearings 24. The gear pinion 23 is inengagement with the gear 9. A pulley 25 is secured on the shaft 22 andis adapted to be operated by a belt driven by an electric motor (notshown) or other suitable source of power. The bearings 24 are supportedpreferably on concrete pillars for `posts 26v anchored in the earth orbed of concrete. The stationary platform 6 is supported on posts orpillars suitably and firmly anchored. v

One of the swiveled rollerguides 8 for the bars 'I is shown on anenlarged scale in detail in Figs. 4 and 5. The guide 8 comprises a framehaving one removable side 8a which is shown in Fig. 5. The rollers orpulleys 8b are mounted on pins or spindles 8c. In'order to bring'thelast spindle 8c into locking position it is necessary to have anattachable side as 8a carrying a pulley and an attachable locking meanscomprising a bolt or rivet 8e. Said side 8a having a slot 8f to receivea spindle 8c.

It will be observed that when the removable side 8a. is properly securedin position all of the spindles or pins 8b will be effectively lockedagainst endwise displacement. The lower side of each guide 8 is providedwith a suitable swivel bolt 8d which is xedly secured to the turntable2.

It is observed that the ends of the spindles 8c, are beveled, butattention is called to the fact that spindles having stepped endsinstead of beveled ends, may be effectively substituted for the spindles8e shown in the drawing. It is merely essential that the spindles shallbe mutually locked against endwise displacement.

The guides 8 are also provided with outwardly flared filler piecesslidably engaging the bearing washers 8i. Said pieces are secured to theguide 8 preferably by brazing or welding. These pieces are secured inposition and bear movably on the washers 8i and thereby prevent unduelateral tilting of the guides 8 when subjected to heavy pulls or pushesgiven to or received from the bars 1.

One of the filler pieces is provided with an aperture 8h for insertionof the lower spindle 8c through the guide frame a roller 8b andremovable side 8a. The other spindles 8c are inserted in suitablesuccession until they are all in operative position except the lastspindle 8c in the removable side 8a which is inserted 'and tilted intovertical position with said side thereby mutually locking all of saidspindles against endwise displacement when the removable or attachableside 8a is secured in position by the bolt or rivet 8c.

It is to be observed that each guide 8 is a safety substantiallyfoolproof, anti friction bearing and guide mechanism for the hollowsliding bars 1.

In the modification shown in Fig. 6 the stationary gear I b is mutilatedso as to propel the pinions slightly more than I 80 so that the cranksshall have passed the dead center whereby the car or chariot so affectedwill give the sensation of running Wild at least it will be free to findits own position until the pinion engages another section of gear teethon the mutilated stationary gear. 'Ihe gear Ib is provided with the samevariety of centering and guiding surface as gear I, but it does not havea removable section since there can be no fixed relation of adjustmentsof pinions 3 and gear Ib.

The double drive, shown schematically in Fig. 7, is a modification inwhich the driving force for the turntable is applied in a balancedmanner so that the device may run more smoothly and more nearly freefrom vibration especially when the mechanism is being started. Thedouble or balanced drive gear, shown in Fig. 7 may be readilysubstituted for the single drive gear 23. In fact the shaft 22b may beshaft 22 extended through bearing 24 and collar 21 at the right end ofsaid shaft 22 and thereby produce a triple drive instead of a single ordouble drive. This variation is deemed to be obvious in view of thevarious drives already `disclosed herein. In the double or balanceddriving mechanism there are two shafts 22a, each carrying a pinion 23aengaging the gear 9. The adjacent ends of the shafts 22a are providedwith bevel gears intermeshing with a driving bevel gear 25a which ispropelled by the shaft 22b secured to said bevel gear 25a. The shafts22a are supported in suitable bearings 24a. The shafts 22a and gears 23aand 25D carried by said shafts are maintained against longitudinaldisplacement by collars suitably located and secured on said shafts andengaging the innermost side surfaces of the bearings 24a. It is'contemplated that shaft 22b will also be supported in position bysuitable bearings (not shown). v

It is assumed that minor changes may be made in the structural detailsof the mechanism disclosed without departing from the scope of theinvention as contemplated and hereinafter claimed.

The undulatory path defined by the cars, as well as the sensation of theoccupants thereof, will be modified in accordance with different speedsof operation. In the disclosure of Fig. Vl the pinions 3 and cranks 4may be adjusted to produce a rythmic and like motion simultaneously ofall the cars, or they may be adjusted to produce a rythmic and likemotion in rapid succession or sequence, or they may be adjusted to movepromiscuously, i. e. not in rythmic simultaneousness or rythmicsequence. This variety of adjustment capacity is very important becauseit is selective and thereby a new sensation can result to the occupantsof the cars with every variation of adjustment.

When using the mutilated gear Ib, of course there can be no adjustmentof the pinions 3 and cranks 4 because the pinions and cranks are free torotate as propelled by the bars l, when said pinions are out ofengagement with the gear or toothed section of said gear I b. In the useof this gear the sensation of accidental release and of running Wildwill vary greatly with the speed of the turntable. It is also to benoted that arrows have been placed on various rotating parts to indicatethe relative direction of rotation of said parts. The directions ofrotation may be relatively reversed by the use of a drive belt appliedcrossed to produce one direction of relative rotation or a belt Vnotcrossed to produce the opposite variety of rotation. This selectivequality of rotation is made possible by the fact that the features ofthe mechanism are symmetrical andtherefore capable of operationsuccessfully in either direction.

In View of the clear disclosure of applicants invention, as set forth inthe specification and drawings, the operation thereof appears to beclearly obvious. It is therefore deemed unnecessary to recite in furtherdetail the specic operation of the invention.

What I claim is:

l. An amusement device including a stationary platform forming a supportfor vehicles and provided with a trackway and gear fixed thereto, acutaway portion in said platform, a turntable located in said cutawayportion and having supporting rollers engaging said trackway, saidturntable having a gear secured to the central portion thereof anddepending therefrom, said turntable having bearings, receiving shafts,pinions secured on said shafts and meshing with the teeth of' thestationary gear, said shafts having cranks on their upper ends, swiveledantifriction guides mounted on the edge of said turntable and extendingupwardly therefrom, bars articulately connected to said cranks andextending through the guides, vehicles movably supported on saidplatform and articulately connected with said bars, cooperatingcentering means located on said shafts and said stationary platformgear, means to drive said turntable and thereby to propel said pinions,cranks, bars and vehicles whereby said vehicles are caused to travel inan undulatory path over said platform imparting to the occupants of saidvehicles both amusing and thrilling sensations.

2. In an amusement device, the substructure, including a stationaryplatform supporting a vehicle, a rotary turntable centrally mounted insaid platform, a swiveled antifriction guide mounted on the edge of saidplatform and extending upwardly therefrom, said guide having one pair ofvertical rollers and one pair of horizontal rollers,

a bar extending through said guide and engaging said rollers andarticulately connected to said vehicle, cooperating resilient bufferssymmetrically mounted on both said bar and vehicle, a crank carried onthe edge of said turntable and articulately connected with said barwhereby rotation of said crank and turntable in either direction, willpropel said vehicle over said platform in an undulatory path symmetricalto said platform.

3. In an amusement device, the substructure comprising a turntable, aswiveled guide mounted on the edge of said turntable, said guidecomprising a frame having a vertical pair of rollers and a horizontalpair of rollers, said rollers being mounted on mutually locking spindleswhereby each spindle is maintained against endwise displacement, saidframe also having flared filler pieces engaging a wear plate or washerlocated on said turntable.

4. In an amusement device, the substructure including a stationaryplatform having a stationaryV gear fxedly secured thereto, a rotaryturntable supported by said platform, said turntable having a dependinggear engaging a train of driving mechanism, said turntable having rollercentering means supported on shafts extending through said turntable,said stationary gear having a smooth cylindrical portion engaging saidroller centering means, pinions xedly mounted on said shafts andenmeshing with said stationary gear, said shafts having cranks locatedabove said turntable and flxedly secured to said shafts.

5. In an amusement device, in accordance with claim 4, in which aplurality of gears of said train of gears, engage the depending gear,whereby balancing forces may be applied to said depending gear andturntable.

6. In an amusement device, according to claim 4, in which said train ofgears is providedwith three gears in engagement with said dependinggear, whereby balancing forces may be applied to said depending gear andturntable.

7. In an amusement device, according to claim 3, inY which the guide hasone removable or attachable side swiveled on one of the spindles, saidside carrying a roller and spindle and having a notch slot or recessadapted to receive another spindle as said side is tilted or swiveled toposition and means to secure said side in assembled position.

8. In an amusement device, a stationary platform having a stationarygear secured thereto a rotary turntable having pinions enmeshing withthe stationary gear said pinions having shafts provided with cranks,said stationary gear having a main gear section and a removable andattachable gear section whereby the pinions and cranks may be adjustedrelatively to the stationary gear when said attachable gear section isremoved, cooperating centering means on said turntable and saidstationary gear.

9. In an amusement device a stationary platform having a stationary gearsecured thereto, a rotary turntable supported by said platform, saidstationary gear having toothed gear sections, pinions carried by saidturntable, said pinions having shafts provided with cranks, said pinionsadapted to engage the toothed sections, cooperating centering means onsaid turntable and said stationary gear.

10. In an amusement device, a stationary platform having a stationarygear secured thereto, a rotary turntable supported by said platform,cranks and shafts having pinions carried by said turntable ycooperatingcentering means on said shafts and stationary gear, a gear secured toand depending from said turntable brackets secured to said dependinggear and having bearings for the lower ends of said shafts, bearings insaid turntable for the upper ends of said shafts, antifriction guideframes swivelly mounted on the edge of said turntable and extendingupwardly therefrom, bars extending through the guide frames, one end ofeach bar being articulately connected to said cranks and the oppositeends connected to vehicles located on said platform, symmetricallyarranged buffers on both the vehicles and the bars and means to drivesaid turntable pinions, cranks, bars and Vehicles, whereby said vehiclesare propelled about the platform in undulatory paths. n Y CARL EDWARDLUNDBERG.

